Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-05-16

forest trees came up to either side of
it like a wall. There was no chance
for his horses, even though blinded
by the whirling snow, to turn out of
it.
Onward they crept at almost
snail's pace. The way was full now,
and the snow came high up on the
sides of the pung. The load was all
they could haul up the steep grade
with the snow packed so closely about
it.
Darker and darker the night grew
about him. The wind howled over
and around, with the voices of a score
of tiends let loose to disport them
selves to their hearts content. He
could hardly see a rod in advance.
Crawford had indeed been right when
he said it was blowing great guns in
tsszse Notch
1t was growing colder fast. De-
spite the thick garments he wore, he
could feel the biting breath of the
blast creeping in wherever it could
find chance about his person, while
the horses were fast putting on coat
of ice and snow.
For the last mile or so he had
walked to tighten the load, but now,
tiresome as it was, he preferred to do
it to keep himself warm. He was
nearing the summit now, and there
he knew he would encounter the blast
possessed of a double fury. Once
across the little plain, and down in
the shelter of the rocky walls of the
Notch, there would be change for
the better, he thought. The wind
would not have such a sweep there,
and with the steep down grade, the
load would be almost nothing for his
horses.
Several times yet the horses stop
ped to get breath, and to gather
strength before the little level spot of
open ground was reached. But they
were there at last, and at the edge
of the woods they stood still, and At
kins gazed out into the fierce, whirl-
ing mass of snow before him.
1t was little he could see. The air
was completely filled with snow while
the fierce blast dashed into his eyes
almost completely binding him. The
great mountains which uprose on Ell
ther side of the Notch were invisi-
BILE, and the winds shrieked about
him with the voices of many demons.
There was no trace of road now.
The trees had been cut from the little
plain, not one being left to mark
where it ran across it. So far as he
could see the surface of the snow
showed no mark except the billowy-
like waves which had been heaped up
by the wind.
He saw that it was no use for him
to attempt to guide the horses. They
could find the road better by instinct
than he could in the darkness. So,
waiting a few minutes for them to re-
cover their breath, he spoke to them,
and they moved slowly out upon the
plain.
1t was all they could do here to re-
sist the wind which came up out of
the Notch with redoubled force. But
they kept their feet upon the hidden
roadway, while he clung to the pung
behind, and at last in a moments S luil
of the tempest he saw the great walls
of the Notch uprising beside him.
Here, for few rods, the force of the
wind had almost completely carried
away the snow, leaving the ground
bare in spots, and in others covered
with ice.
ga little more, boys, and you will
have better going, ''he shouted by way
of encouragement to his horses, and
reused to great exertion by the sound
of his voice, they started on trot.
But his ill luck attended him still
His cry had better not have been ut
tered. The horse whose lameness
was the cause of his present plight,
stepped on a small stone and fell,
carrying its comrade with it.
Atkins was at their side in a mo-
ment, and though half numbed with
the cold, he managed to get them on
their feet. Seeing then that the dis
arranged traps were properly adjust
ed, he again urged them onward.
Then he found that another misfor-
tune had befallen him.
The horse that had caused him all
bis trouble was far lamer than he had |
been that morning. The small, loose
rock on which it had stepped had |
famed its ankle so that it could hard
ly bear its weight upon it.
Hiram Atkins was discouraged, as
well he might be. What could he do! |
Here he was with lame horse, the |
hoarse blasts ringing in his ears, and |
cutting his face, and the weather
growing colder with each moment. |
Help was far away on either side,
and for the first time the thought |
flashed upon him that he might perish |
there. =
This idea he tried to Danish as soon
as it occurred to him; but he knew
be was in danger of doing so if he re-
mained long where he was inactive.
Urging his horses to do what they /
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